Conventional methods and devices for operating an internal combustion engine include the injection of fuel for combusting in a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, where a first quantity of the internal combustion engine is ascertained which allows a conclusion to be drawn as to the behavior of an output quantity of the internal combustion engine, in particular of a torque. As an example for ascertaining such a first quantity of the internal combustion engine, the combustion chamber pressure is ascertained, from which a conclusion may be drawn on the behavior of the torque of the internal combustion engine.